Peripheral vascular access devices: risk prevention and management

Area of Science:

• Nursing Practice
• Patient Safety
• Vascular Access

Background:

• Intravenous therapy is essential in acute care and expanding into community settings.
• Peripheral venous cannulation is a frequent procedure with inherent patient risks.
• Effective management is crucial for safe patient care and outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore preventative and risk-management strategies for peripherally-inserted cannulae.
• To focus on insertion, short-term, and longer-term risks associated with cannulation.
• To provide recommendations for assessing and managing patient and device care.

Main Methods:

• Review of preventative and risk-management aspects of peripheral cannulae.
• Focus on insertion techniques and associated risks.
• Consideration of staff competence and practice maintenance.

Main Results:

• Identified key risks associated with peripheral venous cannulation.
• Proposed proactive measures for patient and device management.
• Highlighted the importance of staff knowledge and ongoing review of cannula necessity.

Conclusions:

• Implementing robust preventative and risk-management strategies is vital for safe intravenous therapy.
• Regular assessment of staff competence and device care is essential.
• Continuous evaluation of the need for cannulae ensures appropriate and safe patient care.